Supplier Seminar Track Added to THETRADESHOW Line-up
Alexandria, Va., July 27, 2009 – Suppliers attending THETRADESHOW (Travel Retailing and Destination Expo) this year in Las Vegas, Sept. 13-15, will now have their own education track, with a series of seminars geared especially to them.
“Too often industry events focus on educating travel agents while overlooking the fact that suppliers are also looking to broaden their business horizons,” said Scott Koepf, president, National Association of Career Travel Agents (NACTA), one of THETRADESHOW’s 16 industry partners. “No matter their product, suppliers are searching for new and improved ways of increasing their market share, be it through enhanced relationships with travel agents or tips on breaking into a new geographic market. This year, THETRADESHOW, has put together a seminar series aimed at giving suppliers what they need.”
The supplier seminar series will include:
· Getting More Business from US. Presented by William A. Maloney, CTC, ASTA CEO. Suppliers should come prepared to learn as this session will address topics such as how the U.S. market is different from all others, common mistakes made in approaching U.S. agents for business, the minimum requirements to start doing business in the United States, and so much more.
· How to Find, Talk to and Support Home-based Travel Agents. Presented by Scott Koepf, CTC, MCC, NACTA president. Home-based, independent and entrepreneurial travel agents are the biggest trend in leisure travel sales. The numbers continue to grow at a rapid pace, and they are driving an increasingly larger share of sales. The challenge for suppliers is how to find these agents and communicate with them and most importantly get them to sell your product. This session will explain how suppliers can market to and find success with this vitally important part of their distribution channel.
· U.S. Packaged Travel Landscape Study Overview. Presented by John Pittman, vice president/Industry Affairs for ASTA. ASTA is providing THETRADESHOW exhibitors with the opportunity to review some of the key findings from ASTA & PhoCusWright’s U.S. Packaged Travel Landscape Report. This first-of-its kind report, produced in early 2009, was funded by ASTA to provide the travel industry with a comprehensive overview of the packaged travel market. This seminar will look at the packaged travel industry’s size, structure, trends and relationship with the travel agency distribution channel.
Also geared to suppliers is the NTO Summit, a key networking opportunity for National Tourism Organizations (NTO), taking place on Sept. 14. The NTO Summit will provide an environment in which to discuss best practices in marketing destinations. Those interested in participating should contact Kristen Stake at kstake@thetradeshow.org.
THETRADESHOW is created and supported by the travel industry’s leading organizations, including: ASTA, ACTA, CLIA, ETOA, IGLTA, NACTA, NBTA, NTA, The Travel Institute, U.S. Travel Association and USTOA. Official media partners are: Agent@Home, eTurboNews, JaxFax, Modern Agent, Recommend, Travel Trade, Travel Weekly, TravelAge West, USA Today and Vacation Agent.
THETRADESHOW (Travel Retailing and Destination Expo) is a 3-day, in-depth networking and educational event. Global and inclusive, THETRADESHOW unites under one roof travel suppliers and buyers from all over the world, representing every segment of the travel and tourism industry. It is the trade show event for travel decision makers. For more information on THETRADESHOW, please call 1.866.870.9333, visit THETRADESHOW.org or e-mail pr@thetradeshow.org
Contact: Kristina Rundquist/Laura Gajewski 703.739.8710
